Improvement in preserving, coloring, and seasoning wood



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FredriQkLeaT- PATRNTED JUL' 11 1 Impts in Method. offkanfi Apparatus.fer

. Presrving,3easoning,an& Coloring Timber.

Fig.1.

PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK LEAR, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN PRESERVING, COLORING, AND SEASONING WOOD.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 116,969, dated July 11,1871.

To all whom it may rgmcern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK LEAR, of St. Louis, in the county of St.Louis and in the State of Missouri, have invented new and usefulImprovements in the Method of and Apparatus for Preserving, Coloring,and Seasoning Timber; and do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing making a part of this specification, in which'Figure l is a plan view of my improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical longitudinal sectionsof the heads used for inclosing the ends of the timber. Figs. 5 and 6are front elevations of the ring and disk, respectively, shown in Figs.3 and 4; and Fig. 7 is a plan view of a modification of theclamping-frame.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of thefigures.

The object of my invention is to preserve, sea son, or color timber inthe log before being cut up; and it consists, principally, in the methodof preserving the timber, substantially as is hereinafter specified. Itfurther consists in the method of seasoningthe timber, substantially asis hereinafter shown. It further consists in the method of coloring thetimber, substantially as is hereinafter set forth. It further consistsin the means employed for forming air-tight chambers at the ends of alog, substantially as is hereinafter shown and described. It furtherconsists in the means employed for forcing the heads inward against thelog and securing the same in place, substantially as is hereinafterspecified. It finally consists in the relative arrangement of the airand liquid or force-pumps and the press, sub stantially as and for thepurpose hereinafter shown.

For convenience of illustration, I will first describe the methodsemployed for preserving, seasoning, and coloring timber, andafterwardthe apparatus used. To preserve the timber, it is necessary tothoroughly saturate the woodwith some antiseptic composition, which isusually employed in a liquid form, and forced through the pores orsap-channels from one end; but experience has proved that this method isopen to serious objections, as if the wood is unseasoned the moisturecontained therein not only weakens the preservative but also obstructsits passage, while if said wood is seasoned in the usual manner thesap-channels have become so contracted and shrunken as to render italmost impossible to force the liquid through a stick of ordinarylength. To remedy these objections, I first draw and force a current ofheated air through the timber from opposite ends until the moistiu'econtained therein is thoroughly removed and the wood well heated,whereupon the preserving fluid is readily forced through thesap-channels and every part of the wood completely saturated, afterwhich, if desired, a current of heated air may be again passed throughthe wood until it has become dry and ready for use. To season timber, acurrent of heated air is forced into one end and drawn from the oppositeend until all moisture is removed and the grain of the wood shrunken andfixed, all of which can be accom plished in an incredibly short space oftime, and

. at a comparatively small expense, and at the same time less injuryinflicted upon the wood than would be possible by ordinary means. Theusual method of coloring timber is to force a coloring fluid into theends, but it is found that by such means the wood acts as a strainer andremoves from the fluid the coloring matter and retains the same near theends of the stick, so that the center of said timber, even if colored atall, has a much lighter shade. To obviate these objections I form thedesired color by the chemical union of two or more liquids, which aresuccessively forced and drawn through the timber, which has first beenseasoned. It may sometimes prove advantageous to thoroughly dry thetimber after the injection of each liquid, for which purpose the heatedair is again employed. The advantage of this method is that, as thecolor is the re sult of chemical action between or of the fluids, itsuniformity throughout the timber is rendered more certain than when saidcolor is merely held in solution and the liquid employed as a vehiclefor its transmission.

Having thus set forth the methods used for effecting the desiredobjects, I will describe the apparatus employed.

In the annexed drawing, A and A represent two planks resting upon theiredges and secured together at their ends so as to leave between the samea vertical longitudinal opening, a, the whole forming thesupporting-frame for the clamping devices. Extending vertically upwardfrom near one end of the frame is a post, B, provided at its lower endwith a tongue, I), which passes downward through the opening a andreceives immediately below the frame a pin or key, 0, by means of whichsaid post is firmly locked in place. A second post, 0, constructed likethat just described, is placed within the opemn g and upon the frame,but, unlike said post 13, is capable of longitudinal adjustment uponsaid frame. Passing horizontally through the post 13, midway between itsupper end and the frame, is an opening through which passes a metaltube, D, having upon its inner end a circular disk or head, E, the outerface of which bears against said post, while its inner face is coveredwith a plate of lead, rubber, or other soft material, F. Extendinghorizontally through the movable p 0st 0, in a line with the openingthrough the opposite post 13, is a square opening which contains acorrespondingly-shaped metal bar, G, provided at its rear end with afriction-roller, g, and at its forward or inner end with a suitablesocket, g, within which is pivoted a ball, h, that is attached to aneck, h, projecting rearward from a circular metal disk, H. Said disk His concave upon its inner face and provided with a series of concentricteeth, (shown in Figs. 4 and 6,) which rake forward and are very sharp.Pivoted within two cars, i, immediately in rear of the openingcontaining the square bar G, is a cam, I, which bears against the roller9, and is provided with a bar or lever, I, by means of which the samemaybe rotated so as to force said roller and its bar forward, or allow thesame to be pressed outward or rearward. Two dogs or pawls, K, eachpivoted at its forward end to one of said ears z, and having itsopposite end resting upon and engaging with a toothed rack, L, securedupon the face of the frame A, completes this portion of the device, theoperation of which is as follows:

' A logbeing placed between theposts B an d O, with its weight supportedby two or more rollers, M, and its end resting against the head E, theadjustable post is moved inward so as to bring the concave head Hagainst the end of said log, after-which said post is secured in placeby droppin g th e pawl s into engagement with their ratchetbars. If,now, the lever I be pressed downward the concave head will be forcedagainst the end of the log so as to embed therein one or m ore of theconcentric teeth, and form within the same and between the end of saidlog and the face of the disk or head an air-tight chamber, into andthrough which the preserving or coloring fluids may be forced. Anair-tight chamber may be formed upon the opposite end of the log bysubstituting a corresponding concave and toothed disk for the head E,or, when the latter is used, such chamber may be formed by theemployment of a metal ring, N, slightly rounded upon one side or faceand sharp upon its opposite face, which ring is placed between the logand head, with its rounded face resting upon the rubber plate attachedto the latter, in which position the endwise pressure applied to saidlog will be sufficient to cause the sharpened face of the ring to becomefirmly embedded therein and form a tight joint, while the rubber uponthe opposite side will prevent the passage of air or liquid at thatpoint. The air-pump O is placed at one end of the frame and connectedwith the outer end of the pipe D and with a suitable furnace, P, forheating air, while the force-pump Q, is placed at the opposite end ofsaid frame and connected by means of a suitable pipe, q, with theinterior of the disk or head H; and, both pumps being provided withreversing-valves, heated air or liquids can be forced or drawn throughthe timber as may be desired. In Fig. 7 is shown a modification of theclamping devices, in which the frame and posts are dispensed with, andthe head E connected by means of chains It and rods S with acorresponding head, T, which serves as a substitute for the post 0. Thehead H slides upon the rods S, and is operated by the same mechanism asbefore. It will be seen that the concavity of the head or disk H enablesit to fit over and find a bearing upon the end of any log having adiameter less than that of said head; but as the irregularity of shapeof some logs might present an obstacle to a bearing sufliciently perfectfor the purpose, the ring N is made flexible so as to enable it to bebent to the shape of the log.

Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits of my invention, whatI claim as new is-- 1. The hereinbefore-described method of preservingtimber, substantially as shown and specified.

2. The hereinbefore-described method of seasoning timber, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

3. The hereinbefore-described method of coloring timber, substantiallyas and for the purposes shown.

4. The concave serrated disk or head H, substanti ally as shown, an dfor the purpose described.

5. The ring N, constructed as described and combined with the head E andthe rubber plate F, or its equivalent, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

G. In combination with the head H and post 0, the bar G provided withthe roller g, and the cam I proy ided with the lever I, substantially asshown and for the purpose set forth.

7. In combination with the frame A and movable post 0, the pawls K andracks L, substantially as and for the purpose shown.

8. The relative arrangement of the clampingpress A, 13, and O, theair-pump O, and the forcepump Q, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

9. The clamping-press, composed of the heads E and T connected togetherby means of the chains R and rods S, the bar G, the sliding head H, andthe cam and lever I, substantially as shown and for the purposedescribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this5th day of April, 1871.

FREDERICK LEAR.

I/Vitnesses:

ALEXANDER LOWRY, HENRY PETERS.

